Coleman, Alberta

Coleman
Coleman

Location of Coleman in Alberta

Coordinates: 49°38′07″N 114°30′11″W / 49.6353°N 114.5031°W / 49.6353; -114.5031Coordinates: 49°38′07″N 114°30′11″W / 49.6353°N 114.5031°W / 49.6353; -114.5031
Country  Canada
Province  Alberta
Census division No. 15
Specialized municipality Municipality of Crowsnest Pass
Government
  Type Unincorporated
  Governing body Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Council
Elevation[1] 1,320 m (4,330 ft)
Population (2006)[2]
  Total 1,065
Time zone MST (UTC−7)
  Summer (DST) MDT (UTC−6)

Coleman is an urban community in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a town prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass.

Coleman is located in census division No. 15 and in the riding of Macleod. It is served by the Crowsnest Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway.

History

In 1903 a new townsite was laid out a few kilometres west of Blairmore, Alberta, to service a new coal mine operated by the International Coal and Coke Company. Initial names of Paulson’s Camp or McGillivray Hill were rejected by the post office, settling on Coleman (after the mothers maiden name of the president and mine owner A. C. Flumerfelt's wife, Ada and the middle name of his youngest daughter, Norma Coleman Flumerfelt) in 1904.[3] A feature of the town was the mine’s 100 (later 216) coke ovens located at the edge of town, which operated from 1906 to 1952. The town grew rapidly, surpassing its neighbour Blairmore as the largest in the region. Coleman boasted a successful opera house from 1908 until it burned down in 1948.

Coleman persevered through strikes (1911 and 1932), floods (1923 and 1942) and fires (1948). As the coal mines in the region gradually closed, Coleman's commercial importance waned in favour of Blairmore. Coleman amalgamated with four other municipalities to form the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in 1979.

Coleman's coal mining heritage is evident in its several historic buildings, a regional museum, the ruins of its coal plant and coke ovens, several nearby abandoned mines and the "biggest piggy bank in the world" made from a 36-inch (910 mm) gauge air driven thermos bottle mine locomotive.

Demographics

According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population of Coleman is 1,065, which represents 19% of the overall population of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass (5,749).[2]

Climate

Climate data for Coleman
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 11.5
(52.7)
13.9
(57)
18.3
(64.9)
25.6
(78.1)
29.0
(84.2)
30.0
(86)
35.0
(95)
34.0
(93.2)
32.0
(89.6)
26.0
(78.8)
16.0
(60.8)
13.5
(56.3)
35
(95)
Average high °C (°F) −1.6
(29.1)
0.1
(32.2)
4.6
(40.3)
9.5
(49.1)
14.4
(57.9)
18.7
(65.7)
22.1
(71.8)
22.8
(73)
17.0
(62.6)
10.2
(50.4)
1.4
(34.5)
−3.0
(26.6)
9.7
(49.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.4
(20.5)
−5.0
(23)
−0.8
(30.6)
3.6
(38.5)
7.9
(46.2)
11.8
(53.2)
14.3
(57.7)
14.3
(57.7)
9.5
(49.1)
4.6
(40.3)
−2.7
(27.1)
−7.4
(18.7)
3.6
(38.5)
Average low °C (°F) −11.3
(11.7)
−10.1
(13.8)
−6.2
(20.8)
−2.4
(27.7)
1.3
(34.3)
4.9
(40.8)
6.5
(43.7)
5.7
(42.3)
2.0
(35.6)
−1.1
(30)
−6.8
(19.8)
−11.9
(10.6)
−2.4
(27.7)
Record low °C (°F) −39.4
(−38.9)
−37.5
(−35.5)
−37.2
(−35)
−24.4
(−11.9)
−8.3
(17.1)
−5.6
(21.9)
−3.3
(26.1)
−7.0
(19.4)
−11.0
(12.2)
−27.0
(−16.6)
−37.0
(−34.6)
−41.1
(−42)
−41.1
(−42)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 34.8
(1.37)
37.1
(1.461)
38.6
(1.52)
39.8
(1.567)
69.6
(2.74)
70.2
(2.764)
62.6
(2.465)
43.7
(1.72)
45.9
(1.807)
46.4
(1.827)
56.2
(2.213)
37.3
(1.469)
582.1
(22.917)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 12.7
(0.5)
10.8
(0.425)
13.0
(0.512)
23.0
(0.906)
60.8
(2.394)
70.2
(2.764)
62.6
(2.465)
43.2
(1.701)
44.3
(1.744)
32.8
(1.291)
22.4
(0.882)
9.2
(0.362)
404.8
(15.937)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 22.1
(8.7)
26.4
(10.39)
25.6
(10.08)
16.7
(6.57)
8.8
(3.46)
0.0
(0)
0.0
(0)
0.5
(0.2)
1.7
(0.67)
13.6
(5.35)
33.9
(13.35)
28.1
(11.06)
177.3
(69.8)
Source: Environment Canada[4]

References

  1. "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)" (PDF) (PDF). Safety Codes Council. January 2012. pp. 212–215 (PDF pages 226–229). Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Alberta Municipal Affairs (15 September 2009). "Alberta 2009 Official Population List" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  3. Coleman Board of Trade (1953). Coleman's 50th Anniversary Booklet. Lethbridge: Lethbridge Herald. p. 17.
  4. "Coleman, Alberta". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 (in English and French). Environment Canada. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
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